Worldwide: Energy and Natural Resources

Many of the most valuable advances in chemical manufacturing happen quietly, in process design, catalyst choice, and scale-up know-how rather than in new compounds. Selecting the right IP strategy is critical to protecting value, supporting investment, and enabling scale-up from lab to pilot to plant. The key question at every stage of development is should protection focus on the process, the product, or be kept as confidential know-how?

The chemicals sector is experiencing unprecedented turbulence as long-standing structural weaknesses meet acute market volatility. Senior legal experts from A&O Shearman examine how corporates and creditors are adapting their strategies, what trends are reshaping the industry, and where investors and restructuring professionals should focus their attention when navigating this challenging landscape.

As of February 24, 2026, the United Kingdom (UK) government has announced that the interim approaches to adding Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) to the UK Candidate...

As AI-driven demand pushes data center power needs beyond the limits of aging grids, behind-the-meter generation is emerging as a route to faster and more reliable supply. However, BTM solutions bring their own financing, regulatory, and technology risks, from stranded asset exposure and lender concerns over power supply interruption to licensing uncertainty and storage challenges.

The aerospace and defence sector faces one of the most challenging decarbonisation journeys in the global economy, yet its advanced technologies are simultaneously enabling critical environmental solutions worldwide. From satellites monitoring deforestation to drones supporting reforestation and autonomous vehicles tracking ocean health, the industry's expertise extends far beyond its own emissions reduction efforts. How can organisations balance the dual imperatives of operational performance and environme

The UK government has proposed sweeping reforms to decouple electricity prices from volatile gas markets, introducing a voluntary Wholesale Contract for Difference scheme and increasing the Electricity Generator Levy from 45% to 55%. These measures aim to provide revenue certainty for renewable generators whilst protecting consumers from gas-driven price spikes that currently influence wholesale electricity costs approximately 60% of the time.

Defra has published all ten biodiversity gain statements and detailed guidance for NSIPs ahead of mandatory BNG on 2 November 2026. We examine what the new package means for developers with projects in the pipeline.

As the UK seeks to expand its offshore wind capacity and deliver on its net-zero ambitions, attention is increasingly turning to the innovation ecosystem that supports major energy infrastructure projects.

As AI-driven demand pushes data center power needs beyond the limits of aging grids, behind-the-meter generation is emerging as a route to faster and more reliable supply. However, BTM solutions bring their own financing, regulatory, and technology risks, from stranded asset exposure and lender concerns over power supply interruption to licensing uncertainty and storage challenges.

Two cases filed by mining companies before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea highlight the challenges of competition for governance and economic exploitation of deep-sea resources.

Battery technology advances are driving unprecedented growth in recycling innovation, with patent filings for end-of-life battery processing increasing seven-fold in the last decade. The European Patent Office's latest analysis reveals how the race to create a circular battery economy is accelerating, particularly in chemical transformation processes that could address critical material shortages and mounting waste concerns.

The pound (GBP) was muted against most of its peers at the end of last week, as expectations for any meaningful tightening from the Bank of England (BoE) continued to fade.